Ballyhoura Walking Festival Embraces “Leave No Trace” Campaign

Running this weekend, the festival celebrates 25 years, and is encouraging all the walkers to be mindful of the local environment by incorporating the campaign’s ‘Seven Principles’ into their weekend’s activities to help protect the stunning local countryside.

The 25th Ballyhoura Walking Festival takes place this coming weekend, in Kilfinane, Co Limerick, with a wide range of walks throughout the region which showcase the countryside’s stunning scenery. This year’s festival, running from the 8th-10th

October–in collaboration with the Joyce Brothers Music Festival–is embracing the seven principles of the Leave No Trace messaging, encouraging all participants to enjoy the weekend’s activities while keeping a watchful eye on their impact on the local environment.

Leave No Trace is an outdoor ethics education programme designed to promote and inspire responsible outdoor recreation. As increasing numbers of people seek the beauty and exhilaration of outdoor travel and recreation, our collective mark on the environment and its natural processes increases. Litter, water pollution, disturbance of vegetation, wildlife, livestock and other people are all indicators of the need to develop a national ethic that protects both natural and cultural heritage. Simply put, make it hard for others to see or hear you and LEAVE NO TRACE of your visit. The 7 principles of the campaign, which the Ballyhoura Walking Festival are encouraging walkers to adopt this weekend, are:

  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Be Considerate of Others
  3. Respect Farm Animals and Wildlife
  4. Travel and Camp on Durable Ground
  5. Leave What You Find
  6. Dispose of Waste Properly
  7. Minimise the Effects of Fire


The weekend’s walking schedule has something for everyone and for all abilities, from the enthusiastic well-equipped walker who relishes the challenge of the A & B level walks to the gentle ramblers who are out to enjoy pleasant C walks, while there’s also lots for families to enjoy. Meanwhile, the Joyce Brothers Music Festival offers a series of concerts, workshops and trad sessions which commemorate the legacy of the Joyce Brothers, Patrick (1827-1914) and Robert (1830-1883), who were poets, writers and collectors of traditional Irish music.

The full schedule of walks and concerts plus booking information is here: Ballyhoura Walking Festival 2021


Further information on the Leave No Trace campaign and its 7 Principles is here: Leave No Trace Ireland Website


The Ballyhoura Walking Festival is taking place in association with Limerick City and County Council and Fáilte Ireland

There’s so much to enjoy at the 25th Ballyhoura Walking Festival - where will your walking boots take you?